Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2002 International RERTR Meeting

U.S. Uranium Supply to  the Research AND TEST Reactor Community

Elaine M. Parker

International Marketing Specialist
BWXT Y-12, L.L.C., Oak Ridge, Tennessee

ABSTRACT

From the 1950s through the early 1990s, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was the primary supplier of low enriched uranium (LEU) and highly enriched uranium (HEU) to research and test reactors worldwide. The formerly called Y‑12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was put into operational stand down in 1994 due to inadequate safety documentation. This paper will discuss the re-start of the Y-12 Plant and its current capabilities.

Additionally, the paper will address recent changes within the DOE, with the creation of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). It will show how the change to NNSA and an organizational re-alignment has improved efficiencies. NNSA is committed to operate its sales program so that it is complementary to, and in support of, the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) and Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR SNF) Return Programs. The NNSA is committed to provide an assurance of competitively-priced, high-quality uranium supply to the research and test reactor community under long-term contracts.  This paper will discuss some of NNSA’s recent successes in long-term contracting and meeting deliveries.